A Fish on Dry Land
by mermaid from mako island
Summary: Sequel to A Fish Out Of Water. Its been several months since the marine center was shut down and Rita and the girls fled. Now up and running again, with Diana as the manager, the new center is running better than ever. But when a mermaid is washed ashore, gravely injured, and taken in for treatment; Janice attempts to prove her mermaid claims and regain her credibility at any cost.
1. Chapter 1

Nixie's POV

I haul my bag back onto my shoulder as the bell goes, a groan escaping me as I do. Lyla and Sirena meet me at the lockers, similar looks of exhaustion and disdain on their faces.

"I wish we didn't have to do this every day. It's a horrible waste of time," Lyla complains.

"At least its Friday," I offer, and then moan, "I never thought I'd be using human terms for days or eagerly awaiting a specific one."

"Come on you two, Auntie Rita wants us to come to school so that we're close. Things are still chaotic back home. She's just being cautious," Sirena argues, closing her locker. "Let's go home, we all have homework."

Lyla rolls her eyes as we walk home. "I don't see why we should bother, I mean it's not like we actually need any of this information."

"I find interesting," Sirena admits. "And I love art class, it's so much fun."

"Yeah for you," I state. "You can draw and sing really well, the arts teacher loves you, he hates me."

"That's because you don't try and you're always late," Sirena scolds. "You did this during mermaid school too, how do you expect to pass if you don't pay attention."

"I'm not particularly interested in passing," I mutter.

"We're stuck with it whether we like it or not," Lyla decides. "Stop moping and deal with it. Nixie, we don't have to like it, but it'll become suspicious if we don't do our work. Sirena, stop enjoying this torture, you're only encouraging Rita." Sirena laughs as she pulls out the key to the house, unlocking the door. We crowd around the small kitchen table to do our work.

"Rita's late today," I comment.

"The principal called a staff meeting," Sirena replies, chewing on the end of her pencil, "she won't be home until six." Since we moved, Rita had to get a new job. She's no longer a principal, instead working as a family studies teacher. It's not her favorite place to be, but she says it's not too bad and she can always earn a new position next year. I hope we aren't here that long. I pull out my English book and sigh. It's pretty boring. The book is about this kid who failed school and is wandering around a city. So far he just seems mentally unstable to me. I make it through ten pages before I groan and let my head hit the table. I glance at Lyla, who's using Rita's laptop.

"What are you doing?" I ask. "Shouldn't you be reading?" Lyla and I are in the same English class and she hates it even more than I do. She flashes me a sly look.

"Cheating," she replies. I perk up.

"Ooh how?" I demand. She turns the screen to show me a website.

"It's called Spark Notes. Everything I need to know about the book without actually reading it." My eyes widen.

"Really? Ooh, please share," I beg.

"You can use it when I'm done," Lyla states. I sigh.

"Alright, but hurry, we're supposed to be done the book tomorrow, and I'd rather not have to listen to Mr. Dalerwood rant about irresponsibility again."

"Don't worry, I'm almost finished," Lyla replies, her eyes betraying the equal amount of dread at the thought of another one of our teacher's lectures.

"After dinner, do you want to go for a swim?" Sirena inquires. "I feel like I haven't been swimming in ages.

"Yeah, definitely," Lyla responds.

"Yes please," I agree. I turn to look out the window. This place feels lonely. I miss mako. I even miss Rita's and the café. At least it had good seafood. I just want things to cool down so we can go home.

Zac's POV

I crumple up my paper and toss it into the trash. I have a history assignment due, but I can't focus on it. I haven't been able to focus properly since that day two months ago, down at the jetty. I can't stop thinking about the mermaid they found. It's driving me crazy. She could be the only other being like me. She might even be able to help me. I haven't gone to the facility, except for on that trip, I've been afraid. I mean, what if this mermaid has the ingrained ability to recognize me as one of her own kind. If she accidentally gives me away, I could end up in a tank too, on display for everyone to see. I had finally worked up the nerve to go when the whole building flooded. It's been closed for about a month while repairs are done. Its open now, but I'm not sure if I should go. I mean, even if I do see the creature, it's not like I'd be able to talk to her or ask any questions. I don't even know if she can speak English.

I grunt and put my face in my hands. If only things weren't so complicated, if only I could've had a chance to see this mermaid for myself before they took her away, if only this whole merman thing had never happened, then I'd be free of stress and able to live my life.

_It might not be a bad idea to take a trip down to the center. I could inquire and maybe get a look at this mermaid. It might ease my stress and lack of focus. _I decide. I pull on my sneakers and head outside. Climbing into my boat, I head down the coast to my destination.

Diana's POV

I sit down with a sigh. I really should have given Janice more credit over the years. Managing this place is hard work and the paperwork is unbearable. I gently touch a small bluish conch shell that is sitting on my desk. Nixie had given it to Sirena while they were here, but it had been left behind in their frantic escape. The damage of that night has been fixed for a week now. It's thanks to Nixie that this place stayed open at all. I smile. She'd given me quite a shock, showing up here afterwards with a handful of priceless gold coins. The money earned allowed me to make some drastic but good changes to marine center. I made sure to expand the rescue center as well. The rest of the coins are safely stored away. I won't use the money for personal use. I made a promise to myself that the funds would only go to improving the center.

"Come in," I say as someone knocks on the door. Alisha pokes her head in. Alisha is a young woman in her late twenties. She has chocolate brown eyes and shoulder length brown hair. While I still do my old job as animal psychiatrist, Alisha works in the same field so that I have more time to work as manager. "What can I do for you Alisha?"

"You have a visitor Dr. Evans," she begins.

"It's just Diana, Alisha. Do you know who this visitor is? And where's Erin? This is normally something that his job entitles."

"Erin's home sick today, he called in. And the visitor is Janice Taylor. Didn't she used to be the manager here?" she informs me.

"Yes she did. Thanks for telling me, where can I find her?" I inquire.

"Main lobby," Alisha replies, before leaving. I sigh. Right now Janice is the last person I want to chat with. I haven't really spoken to her since she was demoted. I reluctantly rise from my chair and walk out to the main lobby. Janice is standing near the door. I put on a professional smile and approach her.

"Hello Janice," I say.

"You look good Diana. So does this place," Janice states.

"Thanks. What can I do for you?"

"Right to the point I see. I just wanted to visit you. We haven't talked since… you know."

"Forgive me if I'm not interested in small talk Janice. We both know you have a reason for being here so get on with it, I'm busy," I reply coldly. She sighs.

"I just wanted to come by and see for myself how the repairs went," Janice answers as she walks further into the center. I follow her reluctantly. "The place looks good, though you've changed quite a bit around. Wherever did you get the money for all of this?" her tone turns suspicious. My shoulders tense.

"An old friend of my mother; he recently came into a lot of money. He offered to cover the repairs and I'm in the process of paying him back," I lie. A muscle feathers in Janice's jaw, it's clear that she doesn't believe me, but she doesn't press the matter.

"That's quite a stroke of luck then, I suppose," she says, walking up to the tank positioned beside the new front desk. Within moments the newest dolphin, Sandra, swims by. She was brought in last week after she washed up on the beach; pregnant but seriously underweight. She's here until the calf is born and strong, when they'll both be released.

"It is lucky. I'm grateful that this place got to remain open. Where are you now?" I ask, genuine curiosity flooding my voice.

"I'm teaching the Basics of Oceanology Workshop at a local college," Janice replies curly, a frown adorning her face. "It's far from where I'd like to be, where I was, but I haven't been able to get a decent field job; not now that my reputation is as tarnished as it is." The malice returns in her voice.

"I had nothing to do with that Janice. You brought that upon yourself. You made some seriously bad calls and that's why you were deemed unfit," I state. "That and it was your responsibility to ensure that the tanks were in a proper state. The flood was considered your fault for failing to report a potential hazard."

"That tank was fine and you know it. The only reason it broke was because of Rita Santos. Whom, may I remind you, you let in," she snaps. "You were stealing Diana. The damage is on your shoulders. Unfortunately I'm the only one who knows that and no one seems to want to believe me."

"Janice, we've been through this before. You hit your head pretty hard when the place flooded. I was upstairs at the time. The doctors figure your brain created a dreamlike story to fill in the blanks of that night."

"So Nixie and the other two were a dream as well? I made them up? They're just figments of my imagination?" Janice demands. I shake my head.

"No they weren't. It's possible that their escape had something to do with the flood, but it was your actions that got you removed from the staff here, not them," I argue. "Now please, I must ask you to leave. I have work to do and you're a civilian now, if you want to talk about the center or receive information, ask the attendants, not me. Otherwise, you can set up a meeting like everyone else," I remind her. She glares at me but decides not to argue.

"We both know you're lying Diana," she states. "You betrayed me."

"I never betrayed you Janice. All I did was have a different opinion. The way those girls were treated was nothing short of shameful and wrong. We're supposed to help save marine life; not tear up an innocent family. I won't deny that I'm glad they got away. But I didn't betray you. Now please, I'm busy. I have a lot of paper work to do and the job is still new to me. Goodbye Janice," I say. I turn and head back to my office.

Once inside I slump down and sigh. I hate lying; especially to someone I used to consider my friend. But it has to be this way. If Janice was to stay here; she'd only try to track down Nixie, Lyla, and Sirena, and I can't let that happen. Everything is such a mess. I return to my chair and open the desk drawer, removing the mermaid file. Luckily a lot of our data on them was destroyed, but I kept my copy of the basics a secret. It's probably time to get rid of it for good before someone stumbles across it. I slip it into my bag, intending to shred it when I get home. I'm no longer staying above the facility, but in a small house around the corner, so at least I'll have the privacy to destroy the documents.

As I leave the building, I can't help but hope, for mermaids' sake, that Janice doesn't decide to poke around any further and find something to prove her claims.

**Okay, here it is; the sequel to a fish out of water. I apologize for the slightly odd title, I may change it if I come up with something better. I've decided to put a little more of Zac into this story. I never really showed his thoughts in the last book and I feel they are important. This story is still in the beginning stages and I'm not really sure where its going to go, so if anyone has any ideas, feel free to share them, because I could use a few starter points. I was also thinking about including Aquata in this story, but I'm not sure, what do you guys think?Thanks for reading this, you all are amazing :)**

**-Mermaid**


	2. Chapter 2

Diana's POV

I finish filing away the last of the documents. While Janice may have run this place efficiently, she wasn't very tidy. I step back and admire my work. The filing cabinets are now properly organized and the room looks a little more personal. A wave of satisfaction washes over me. I step out into the hall and survey the main area. Since the repairs, the center has been far more lively. We've been able to hire some extra staff to give tours and teach mini classes. It's really drawn the public in. Taking a pile of pamphlets, I head over and begin to sort them into the correct slots on the information board.

Despite what I told Janice, I actually enjoy smaller tasks and talking with the public. It's what I used to do whenever my job had a lull in it. Now that I've finished filling out and organizing the paperwork, I'm noticing that as a manager, I'm not working all day. Since Alisha doesn't seem to need any help in my old field, I've found myself with nothing to do and I was never one to put my feet up and relax on the job; that hasn't changed. A chime on the door rings as a teenaged boy strides purposefully inside. His black hair is unkept and his eyes are narrowed into a calculating scowl. I watch him survey the main foyer, clearly looking for something specific.

"Can I help you with anything?" I ask, walking over to him. "You seem set on something particular; maybe I can help you find it faster?" the boy shrugs then nods, fiddling with the corner of his blue T-shirt.

"Uh, yeah. I'm not really sure why I didn't come in sooner, I was a bit skeptical at first, but curiosity has won over. Two months ago this place apparently rescued a, um," he lowers his voice a bit, "mermaid, from under the jetty near my home. I was wondering if it was still here."

I take a deep breath, calming myself. Its clear Lyla wasn't the only one there that day. "No, I'm afraid not. When this place flooded, she managed to free herself. We aren't sure how, but she escaped back into the ocean. Sorry," I reply. Disappointment shadows the boy's gaze.

"Oh," he says. "I was hoping to see for myself. Guess I shoulda come in earlier," he attempts to joke.

"Well, I'm sorry I can't be much help in that matter, but is there anything else I can do? They're not mermaids, but we have plenty of other interesting marine organisms here."

"No thanks, I was really only interested in the mermaid thing. I don't suppose you think you'll ever find another one?"

"Who knows," I say. "I, personally, think it isn't likely. That one was the first on we've ever seen. As far as I know, there aren't any other reports of mermaids from any of the centers in the global network. They clearly keep to themselves and don't want to be found."

"Yeah, right, I reckon that makes sense."

"Tell you what, um…"

"Zac," the boy offers. "Zac Blakely."

"Tell you what, Zac; if I ever hear of another facility reporting one, I'll let you know."

"Alright, thanks. Well, I should be going," he admits.

"Well, tell your friends to come by," I request.

"Will do."

I watch as he hurries out, frowning at his squirrely behavior. I shrug. _Oh well. _I return to my desk and sit down. _How many other people were on the docs that day? _I wonder. _And do any of them know who Nixie is? _The thought worries me, especially if Janice were to find out. At the moment the board is willing to believe it was a hoax, but it won't stay that way if Janice keeps shouting out and finding things she can use in her defense.

I stare at the picture of Meggie, propped up on my desk, and try to imagine what she'd say about Nixie and the events of the last few months.

I smile at the thought of the way her head would tilt to look up at me with interest.

_"__Who's Nixie, mommy?" she'd ask me, and I'd tell her. I'd tell her anything. I know her eyes would widen with wonder at the thought of a mermaid, and a cute scowl would cross her face when I told her about Janice's actions. I'd even tell her about my worries; Meggie was like that; you could tell her anything. When I had finished, I know she'd ask. "Do you think I can meet her too?"_

_"__Sure baby, I'll take you soon."_

_"__Janice seems like a lost person," she'd comment quietly. "She probably got all excited and carried away, but that doesn't make her a bad person right?"_

_I wouldn't have an answer for her, but she'd probably keep talking about without noticing anyways. _

_"__I think you should still be her friend. But maybe not tell her you know where the mermaids are, she might make a mistake again. But we can forgive people for making mistakes right as long as they learn from them?" She'd turn to me then, her brown eyes wide and expectant. It would break my heart and I'd tell her 'yes,' because what else do I say to my child? The one I was forced to give away, whose new parents stuck her in this institution, yet she forgave me. _

_Then a nurse would likely come in with pills that Meggie supposed to take to keep her calm and tell me I have to leave. The nurse would back out for a moment to let me say goodbye. Meggie would look sad and I'd kiss her forehead and tell her I love her. Before I leave I'd tuck those awful white pills into my purse and replace them with tic-tacs, so the nurse won't notice they're missing. It's not like Meggie needs them anyways; they only make her feel sick. Then I'd wink at her and walk out the door. _

I pull myself out of the daydream and wipe at the stray tears on my face. I know Meggie would want me to keep Nixie safe, but also give Janice a second chance.

I sigh, "Alright sweetie," I decide, shaking my head. She always did manage to bring out the best in me and make me a better person.

Nixie's POV

I snap my textbook shut with a sigh of relief. "Finally," I groan.

Lyla nods in agreement, closing her own book. "I think it's time for a swim," she decides. Sirena and I nod eagerly. Putting our stuff back into our bags, we all head out the back door onto the sand. The beach house we've been staying in has the benefit of being secluded. Still, habit has me glancing around before racing to the water. I relish the feeling of the water as it envelops me.

Beside me, Sirena sighs happily and flips onto her back. Lyla spirals her fin and shoots ahead of us. Tensing my muscles against the challenge I put on a burst of speed and race past her. we race each other all the way to a large rocky outcropping we found a few days after our arrival. I tap the rock and surface with a laugh. Several seconds later Lyla surfaces too. "I think you've gotten slower," I tease.

Lyla huffs and crosses her arms. "I am not, I got blasted by a sideways current, it slowed me down."

"Yeah right," I say, twisting to lie out on the flat rocks, my tail flicking back and forth through the water.

Sirena surfaces, panting, beside us. "You guys need to slow down!" she protests. "You left me behind."

"Swim faster," Lyla suggests with a shrug. She grins teasingly and flicks water at Sirena, who retaliates by smacking her tail on the water and sending a mini tidal wave over Lyla. I laugh.

"Normally I'm the one stirring up trouble," I comment. "Stop stealing my thunder!"

"You never had thunder," Lyla retorts. I pout and place a hand over my heart.

"That hurts Lyla. That really hurts," I mock. Lyla returns my pout and Sirena giggles.

"You're both crazy," she states.

"Says you, school-lover," Lyla throws back.

"Do you guys ever wonder how things are going back home?" I ask suddenly. Both Lyla and Sirena fall silent.

"I miss it," Sirena says softly. "I miss mako, and the grotto, and the café."

"You sure it's the café you miss? Or the person who runs it," Lyla teases. Sirena blushes but doesn't answer. "I just hope Zac hasn't found the moonpool. That would be bad."

I nod. "I wonder how Diana's doing," I say.

"Why do you care? She's one of the people who held us captive," Lyla mutters.

"No she isn't. That was Janice. Diana was the one who freed us remember? The one who was concerned for us and fought for us. She was my friend," I admit. Sirena nods in agreement.

"She was nice. Besides, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her."

Lyla sighs. "I know, I'm not mad at her, I'm just upset. I hate it here. I want to go back to mako and I don't want to go to land people school."

"None of us are happy with how things played out, but we have to make the best of it," Sirena soothes. "Let's just head home. Rita will want us to be on time for dinner. You know how paranoid she's been lately."

"You're right," I sigh in agreement. "Let's go." I slid into the water. Sirena and Lyla follow.

We swim back in silence. A large boat passes over head and we pause, worry keeping us cautious. Once its shadow passes over me, I slowly start to swim again. Lyla follows.

Suddenly Sirena shouts out, her voice muffled by the water, but panic is heavy in her voice. I spin around. Sirena's tailfin is pinned down to the seafloor by a thick metal net. Lyla and I rush back. Lyla strains, but manages to lift up the net. I quickly yank Sirena out and the three of us take of full speed. I practically tow Sirena.

We're all panting by the time we pull ourselves onto the sand outside the cottage.

"You okay?" I ask. Sirena lifts her fin out of the water to examine it.

"I think its okay," she replies. She bends her fin and cries out. "Okay, not as alright as I thought," she whimpers.

"Let's dry off," Lyla says. "Rita can probably help."

As if on cue, the screen door slams shut as Rita comes hurrying out.

"Are you girls alright?" she demands when she reaches us. Lyla stands up.

"Sirena got caught under this weird metal net," she explains. "She hurt her fin."

"What?" Rita kneels by Sirena, careful to avoid the water.

"A boat passed over us. it dropped the net on me," Sirena says.

"Was it a fishing boat?" Rita inquires. I shake my head.

"No, it didn't have those weird arm things that are used to reel their nets in. besides, the net wasn't there before."

"It could have been whalers," Rita admits grimly. "Sometimes they go after dolphins too. Their sonar could have mistaken you three as dolphins."

Lyla shudders and wraps her arms around her shoulders. "I just have a bad feeling. The net must have fallen really fast; we didn't even hear it enter the water. And who uses metal nets anyways?"

"Maybe we should stay on land for a while," Sirena whispers. Rita nods.

"Just to be safe," she agrees. "No more swims for a while."

I dry off and Lyla and I help Sirena inside. I can't help but sigh. I feel skittish all the time. Jumping at every overhead shadow when I'm swimming and thinking I see Janice in the crowds at school or on the street. I'm practically scared of my own shadow.

_When can things go back to the way they were?_

**So here's the next chapter. Sorry it took a while to update, but I hit some writers block. So, that kind of weird thing with Diana, I was testing it out, so let me know what you think. I want her to occasionally have mini episodes like that (She isn't crazy, don't worry) because I feel that Megan had an important effect on her yet I never developed the character much. Do you think it was okay? Should I do them in present tense and kind of like dreams? Or leave them the way they are? Maybe you guys don't want them at all? Let me know, I really appreciate the feedback. I also want to give a shout out to all the people who have read this. One chapter and I already have reviews, favorites and followers. You guys are all awesome and I appreciate the support. ****J**

**-Mermaid. **


	3. Chapter 3

Rita's POV

I set a steaming bowl of water on the floor by Sirena's feet. The three girls are sitting on the couch quietly. "Sirena, dip you're feet in there," I order gently, drawing the thick blue curtains shut, blocking out the rest of the world. I turn back to face them, sitting down in the armchair. Sirena gently ease her feet into the hot water, her fin forming. "How's it feel?"

"Okay I guess," she mumbles, "still sore though."

"The water will help. Warm water has a tendency to draw out stiffness or pain in muscles. Just relax and you'll be fine," I explain. Sirena nods and leans her head back against the couch.

Lyla stands abruptly. "This isn't right," she snaps. "I'm sick of it. I'm sick of school, I'm sick of this house and this place, I'm tired of worrying and looking over my shoulder. I'm especially sick of having to constantly worry about if I'm okay to go for a swim." Sirena stares at her lap and Nixie bites her lip, but neither of them offers a response. Their silence is an indication that they agree.

I sigh. "I know, none of this is enjoyable. You girls have been through so much, and you've held up better than I expected you too."

"I want to go home," Sirena whispers. Nixie nods.

"We can't Sirena, it's too soon."

"Its been several months already," Nixie objects. "What's the problem?"

"You know full well why we can't go back. Dr. Taylor will not have let this go that quickly. We need to lay low."

"How do we know she hasn't left the area? If she knows what's good for her she'd have taken off,' Lyla argues.

"Perhaps I should give the center a call. See what's going on down there," I ponder.

"Speak to Diana you mean?"

"Yes Nixie. There's a good chance she'll know whether or not it's safe to return," I reply.

"Can I call her?" Nixie inquires eagerly. I shake my head.

"It's better if I do it. I'm only calling to get information; I'm going to be as fast as possible."

"Oh." She leans back against the couch. Her fingers tracing over the tacky floral designs on the arms of the ivy green couch. The giant pink rose blossoms are blooming across the fabric.

"You girls had best go and finish your school work. There's tuna salad and smoked salmon in the fridge when you get hungry. I have work to mark and then I'm going to make the call. Sirena, be careful not to strain your ankle. If it's still swollen tomorrow, you can stay home, I don't want you to hurt yourself. Stay inside tonight alright?" Sirena nods. Lyla sighs and shrugs.

"I guess," Nixie says, chewing her bottom lip. I rise from the armchair and head upstairs.

I work through the assignments of my grade eleven class and then the grade twelve's.

After an hour or so I drop my pen with a sigh and bury my head in my hands. I'd forgotten how undesirable marking is; not only tedious work, but time consuming as well. After a moment I glance over at the phone sitting on my nightstand. I reach over and grab it, crossing my legs, cradling it in my lab and staring at it. With a brief hesitation I dial out the number.

Diana's POV

I glance at the clock on the wall. Seven ten. Just under an hour before closing time. Today has been exceedingly slow. There have been few patrons milling about the center, most of the rescue animals have been released or are on the mend. There's no need for me in my old field and there isn't even any paper work to do as manager.

_Remind me to get myself a good book for times like these. _

The phone rings and I jump, startled by the break in the silence. I pick it up and hold the receiver to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello Dr. Evans," Comes the reply. The voice is a little hesitant, but I recognize it. I brighten slightly.

"Miss Santos, it's good to hear from you," I reply. "How is everyone?"

"Alright. The girls are more than a little homesick and frankly so am I. Sirena had a slight incident today, but nothing serious. Other than that, we're fine. So how's your center doing?"

"Really good actually. I didn't get the chance to thank you. Those coins saved the whole facility."

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad some of them finally went to good use," there's a slight hesitation on the line. "How are things there?"

"Everything's run smoothly since the reopening," I reply.

A pause. "That isn't exactly what I meant," Rita states dryly.

"Oh. You want to know if the commotion has died down. Most of it has actually. Most people waved Janice's story about mermaids as a hallucination from hitting her head when the tank broke," I begin. "But Janice is still determined. She lost a lot of her credibility and she's furious. She's been poking around, waiting for me to slip up or something…" I trail off.

"So returning at the moment is definitely out of the question," Rita states.

"I don't know… I don't think it's something Janice will ever forget and her new job has her teaching at the local college. Returning might be a risk in general."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"Well, maybe give it another month or so and see what happens. I can keep you updated if you give me some contact information," I offer.

"I would appreciate that," she admits. I grab a pen and a sticky note and jot down the information she gives.

"I'll let you know if anything changes," I promise her, before hanging up the phone. I lean back in my chair. I wonder where they are and how they're doing.

I frown. I barely knew her for two weeks, yet it feels so strange not being able to go up and see her every day. I miss Nixie's sarcastic humor and stubborn attitude. I miss her pranks and jokes and her smile.

I honestly feel like I've lost another child. I grew so attached to her that I feel strange and sad now that she's gone.

"I suppose Janice knew what she was talking about when she told me to be careful of getting emotionally hurt," I mutter to myself.

Suddenly there's a bunch of yelling and footsteps echo down the hall. I rise from my chair, concerned. Sarah barges, the door banging loudly against the wall. Her face is flustered and her eyes are wide.

"We've got to go," she states, her voice frantic. "We've got a rescue to perform and it sounds really bad. You have to come, but I don't think you're going to like it."

**Another chapter done and we're finally going to see some actually interesting stuff happen in the next chapter. I think my updating time is improving… though that may fluctuate with school, bear with me. You guys are beyond amazing. I feel so honored with how much attention this story is getting already. To all the people who reviewed, favorited, followed, or even just took the time to read this, know that you are all wonderful and you brighten my day. As always, comments are greatly appreciated, I always like to know what you think and how I can improve the story or my writing for your enjoyment. Thanks. ****J**

**-Mermaid **


	4. Chapter 4

Diana's POV

The tires squeal as Carl swerves the van onto the sand and hits the brakes. I grip the inside door handle and grit my teeth. The second the vehicle stops, the three of us hurry from it. A large crowd of civilians are gathered by the shore of the beach. Sarah rushes forward and Carl and I follow her.

"Carl, can you push the crowd back please?" I request, still unsure of the details. He nods and begins to wave people away. I push through the people after Sarah and… pull up short.

Lying in the surf, surrounded by a large pool of blood and red tinged froth, with waves lapping gently against it, is the body of a mermaid. Her blond hair is woven up intricately with multiple small seashells. A long sunset orange tail is stretched out behind her, exactly like the four others I've seen before, except for the fact that it's a bloody mess. Many scales are missing and several puncture wounds are embedded in her tail, hips, and abdomen. My hand covers my mouth, smothering a gasp, and I resist the urge vomit.

"Sarah, is she…"

Sarah has her fingers pressed against the girl's throat. After a moment she shakes her head. "No, there's a heartbeat, she's alive. But she won't be for long if we don't stop the bleeding. We need to get her back and fast."

I nod and whip around. "Carl, I need a stretcher!" I yell frantically. Carl takes off towards the van, pulling open the back doors and removing the stretched. A man with curly black hair rushes over to help him carry it over.

They set it down in the sand and Sarah and I carefully roll the mermaid onto it. We grip the poles of the stretcher and hoist it up. My feet pound against the sand as the three of us quickly return to the van. We push the stretcher through the open doors of the back of the van. Sarah and I climb inside with our patient and pull the back doors shut, while Carl runs around to the driver's seat. He starts the vehicle and takes off.

"Any way I can help?" I ask Sarah.

She nods. "Yeah, behind you there are towels. Grab them and use them to keep pressure on as much of this as you can, we need to slow the bleeding!" she shouts over the roar of the van. Carl is speeding down the highway as fast as he can. I pull out the towels and unwrap two, pressing them firmly against the mermaid's side. Sarah presses two fingers against the girl's throat and curses. "We're going to lose her soon. I don't suppose you have contact with Rita Santos do you?"

I look up, startled and worried. No one should know about that. Sarah picks up on it. "Relax, I'm not interested in where they are. Diana, I thought you knew me better than that. But this one is going to need a transfusion and I doubt that humans can give her the blood. Those four may be her only chance."

"I left the number back at the center, along with my cell," I reply. "I was in a rush."

"It's okay," Sarah reassures. She bangs on the wall separating us from Carl. "Five minutes Carl. That's about all we've got!" she shouts. The vehicle picks up speed and I mentally thank the fact that we've got permission to act like an ambulance or we'd be pulled over.

When we arrive at the center, things dissolve into chaos. Sarah begins to shout orders at people as the mermaid is loaded onto a gurney and wheeling into the emergency rescue treatment room. "Diana, can you make that phone call?" she requests. I nod.

"Yeah, I'll join you in a few minutes and help in any way I can," I reply. I rush to my office and pick up the phone. I yank open the desk drawer and grab the sticky note with Rita's number on it. I dial quickly and count the seconds as it rings.

"Hello?"

Rita's POV

I pull back the covers and climb into bed. Turning on the bedside lamp, I open my book and begin to read. Across the hall there's heavy footsteps and clamoring as the girls prepare for bed. Poseidon jumps up onto the bed and settles in beside me. I gently stroke his silky white fur with my free hand. A deep content rumbling echoes from his chest as I do. I jump, startled, as the phone on the bedside rings loudly; the noise cutting through the silence like a siren.

_Who would be calling at this time? _Certainly not the school. Only administration has my number in the school computers, but they'll all be at home now. I bite my lip, but reach out and wrap my fingers around the receiver. Lifting it from the stand I answer it and bring it to my ear. I take a deep breath.

"Hello?"

"Rita! Okay, you're there. Look, I'm so sorry for calling you now, especially since we just spoke an hour ago, but it's important," Dr. Evans voice is fast and panicky. Worry worms its way through me.

"Why, what's the matter?" I demand.

"How soon are you and the girls able to get here?"

"What? Dr. Evans, please, what is going on."

"There was an accident, down at one of the beaches. Washed up on shore, unconscious… was a mermaid. I don't want to intrude, but its pretty bad and the only chance she's got is if she receives a blood transfusion. But her body will reject human blood and you four are the only mermaids we know so…"

My eyes widen. "Alright, relax, we'll swim over, it's a heck of a lot faster than driving. Those outdoor pens Nixie was telling me about. Can you open the gates? That way we don't have to leave the water."

"I'll wait for you there myself," Dr. Evans confirms.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," I reply, hanging up. I jump from the bed. "Girls!" I yell frantically, stumbling into the hall. Nixie and Lyla come running from their room. Sirena follows a little slower.

"Rita, what's the matter?" Lyla inquires.

"Sirena, are you okay to swim," I demand, ignoring Lyla's question. She nods.

"I-I think so, why? What's going on?"

"We need to get back home as fast as possible," I reply. Equal looks of confusion and concern cross their faces.

"Rita, what's going on?" Nixie inquires worriedly.

"We just have to get to the marine center. Dr. Evans needs us and it's a matter of life and death.

The next emotions I get are worry, though its grim determination that is splayed across Nixie's face.

"Then let's hurry," she decides. I nod and lead them out back and into the sea. We speed off towards home.

Diana's POV

I pace impatiently across the deck. The sea gates to one of the pens are open, waiting. Darkness has fallen and I'm growing more frantic by the second. Sarah locked herself inside the treatment room with a medical intern and extensive equipment almost two hours ago. There's been no word on how things are going. I keep picturing that poor girl in my mind. All the blood, her pained, yet unconscious face, and the extensive injuries splattered across her body. By the looks of it, the injuries are tooth marks; she was grabbed by something out there, probably a salt water crocodile. I grimace at the thought of her struggling as those powerful jaws snapped shut around her. It was most likely her powers that helped her get away, though odds are she blacked out from blood loss not long after. She's lucky that she washed up on a public beach or we never would have found her. I shudder at the thought. I sit down on the deck with a sigh and burry my head in my hands, my fingers tangling in my hair.

I feel so useless sitting here waiting. Sarah wouldn't let me in with her, saying I'm too emotional to be of any help. Since she had more important things to do than argue with me, I let the subject drop.

I raise my gaze to the water. The waves lap gently at the dock, but everything is dark and silent.

_Come on guys, where are you! _I cry out in my head.

As if on cue, a flash of orange shines against the dark water before a sodden head breaks the surface. Exhaustion is evident in Rita Santos's face. She takes a deep breath before raising her arms up onto the deck and beginning the laborious task of dragging herself up.

"Need a hand?" I ask. She shakes her head and hoists herself up to sit on the wooden planks. Seconds later, Lyla and Sirena surface.

"That was not fun," Sirena states. Nixie's head clears the water as well.

"I agree. I don't think I've ever swum so far and fast in my life." The three girls pull themselves out next to Rita and begin to steam dry themselves. Rita pants.

"Are you alright," I ask her. she nods.

"Yes, I just don't swim as often anymore, I am very out of shape," she admits. ""Give me a moment, I'll be fine." Lyla glances over at Rita, a concerned look on her face. She folds her legs underneath her and reaches out a hand. Steam begins to rise off of Rita's tail and after a moment it fades entirely, leaving the woman clade in a tank top and a pair of blue pajama shorts. Lyla, Sirena, and Nixie are also wearing sleepwear.

"Sorry if I woke any of you," I apologize.

"None of us were asleep, besides this is more important," Rita states, climbing to her feet. I nod.

"We'd better get inside. Sarah's waiting for you."

"How's it going in there?" Sirena inquires.

"We can't do anything more, it's just the blood we need." I turn to Rita. "Before we go in there, do you know anything about mermaid blood? I know her body will reject human blood, but do mermaids have different blood types?"

Rita shakes her head. "No, she can get blood from all four of us and be fine."

I sigh with relief. "That's good. I really appreciate this. Come on." I lead them inside to where Erin is waiting.

"Dr. Evans, you're back! Sarah's ready for your erm…guests."

"They're not guests Erin, Miss Santos and her nieces are more than welcome here at any time," I say firmly. I turn to Rita. "It's probably one of Sarah's medical students that is going to work with you. Are you alright with that?"

"Yes, let's just get this over with, I'm sure we're very pressed for time," Rita replies.

"Right then, follow me and I'll get you all situated," Erin responds. I watch them leave, feeling more than a little useless. I head to the treatment room and slide the door open. Sarah is cleaning off blood from several of her medical instruments.

"How are things going in here?" I inquire, pointedly keeping my gaze away from the gurney in the middle of the room. Sarah sets down the scalpel she was wiping with a sigh and walks over to the mermaid, gently resting her fingers on the girl's forehead.

"There's not much else I can do. I've stitched closed what I can and bound everything, but there's a lot of damage. Even without a blood transfusion, her chances of surviving the night are slim. I just hope she stays unconscious, otherwise the shock of the pain could cause more damage."

"Can't you just sedate her?" I inquire.

"No. If I do that, it's almost a guarantee that she won't ever wake up."

"Well, Rita and the girls are in the other room now, so you should have the blood for the transfusion soon," I inform her.

"I'll start preparing then," she confirms. "Can you wheel that stand over? We'll need it to hook up the blood bag." I nod and drag the wheeled blood stand over to beside the gurney. A groan, soft and weak, escapes Sarah's patient. The groan quickly becomes pained gasps as she begins to wake up.

Sirena's POV

I hesitantly hold out my arm as the medical intern moves to me. According to the little tag on his shirt, his name Cody. He brushes his floppy dark brown hair from his eyes and grasps my wrist. "You might want to sit down," he suggests. I obey, sitting on the bench behind me. He pushes the needle into my skin, filling a small clear bag with the blood that flows from my arm.

When he removes the needle I place my hands on either side of the bench, trying to steady myself. I shake my head, feeling dizzy. Cody pushes a glass of water towards me.

"Thank you," I say, accepting it and taking a sip. He grunts and moves on to Lyla. Rita puts her arm on my shoulder. "I feel really dizzy," I tell her.

"Its just because of the sudden drop in blood. You never had blood taken before, it will pass in a moment," Rita replies. "Or at least that's what I've been told." She rubs at her eyes briefly. I stand up.

"I think I need to go for a bit of a walk," I say. "Staying still is making me feel worse."

"I'll come with you," Nixie offers, standing up as well. Rita nods.

"Go, but stay close and don't get in the way," she warns. I nod and leave the tiny white room, Nixie hot on my heels.

"It smells like chemicals in there," Nixie complains.

"I know, it was making me even dizzier," I reply. We walk out into the main lobby and sit on a bench. My gaze drifts to one of the tanks where a sea turtle is grazing on some of the sea grass sprouting from the sand at the bottom of the tank. She kicks forward with her hind flippers, slightly off balance because of her missing left front flipper. Pity wells up in me.

_Poor thing. _I think to myself.

"I hope whoever needs our blood is alright," I say.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Nixie replies, her voice tight.

"Do you-" I pause. "Do you think it was someone from our pod?" Nixie shakes her head firmly.

"No, our pod is far from here. It was probably just a loner. She probably swam into unfamiliar territory and had an accident," Nixie explains.

I sigh. "Yeah, probably."

My muscles tense as a blood curdling scream echoes through the building. It has me launching myself to my feet and rushing towards the sound.

"Sirena, wait," Nixie calls. I ignore her and hurry through a door and pull up short, my eyes widening. Diana and Sarah are huddled around someone on a metal table. I watch the blond haired mermaid fall, her head hitting the table as she slips into unconsciousness. One of the shells in her hair produces a loud 'clank', as it hits against the metal. My hand finds my mouth and tears water in my eyes.

"A-Aquata," I whisper as Nixie catches up with me, pulling up short as well.

**Well, I don't know who saw that coming, but there it is. I've been pondering throwing Aquata into this for a while, so at least now I can move on with planning out the plot. I hope you are all okay with this turn of events, and as always I love to hear your feedback, even if you aren't happy with the chapter or story, let me know so I can work on making it better. Like I said, plot isn't fully formed yet so ideas are always welcome. So on another note, this is not only my longest update in this story, but also the forth update in roughly a month's time span, which is definitely a record for me. I'm definitely going to try and keep the updates relatively frequent and not go dormant for months like I did in the last one. But let me put emphasis on the try part, sometimes school and writer's block like to gang up on me and I'm not saying expect an update every week, but know I'm putting my best effort in not to keep you waiting too long. So, as always, let me know what you think, and thank you for reading ****:)**

**-Mermaid**


	5. Chapter 5

Sirena's POV

"A-Aquata," I whisper as Nixie catches up with me, pulling up short as well.

"Is that?" she trails off softly. My heart clenches and my stomach lurches violently.

"Aquata!" I cry out, rushing over to her still form. My panic grows as I see the multiple wrappings that lace around her tail and sides. Many of the white bandages have large crimson splotches that are spreading through them. "Aquata," I repeat, tears pooling in my eyes. "Please!"

"Sirena," Nixie begins her voice sounding far away. "It's going to be alright."

I shake my head and bite my lip hard enough to draw blood. _Wake up! _I beg silently. "Wake up!" I wrap my arms around her shoulders and bury my face in her still wet hair. "Please Aquata! Don't leave me again."

"Sirena you need to let her go," Sarah orders. "She's still weak." A pair of hands grab my shoulders, pulling gently.

"No," I screech, clinging to my sister. I can't lose her.

"Sirena, let go! you don't want to make it worse, do you?" Sarah demands. She pulls my arms off of Aquata, and the person behind me yanks my away from Aquata.

"No," I beg, my fin smacking against the ground. "Let go of me!" A hand wraps around my tail and Diana lifts me off the ground. I twist in her grip, still screaming.

"Sirena, its okay," Nixie says.

"No its not! you don't know anything," I spit. Nixie steps back, startled. My fin smashes into Diana's knee and she grunts in pain. The door bangs open as Rita and Lyla come rushing in.

"What's going on?" Rita demands. I strain frantically against Diana, my eyes red and puffy, tears still spilling from them. I continue to beg to be released.

"Sirena, please! I don't want to drop you, you need to settle down," Diana states as she moves towards the door. I turn and shove against Diana, trying to pry away from her. A hand presses into my spin and there's a small stinging sensation in my shoulder blade. I start to feel woozy and after a moment I slump against Diana, my chin hitting her shoulder.

Diana's POV

I sigh with relief as Sirena stills. "Thanks," I tell Sarah. She nods, her mouth pressed into a grim line.

She walks over to her patient, gently checking her over. "What got into her?" Lyla approaches the gurney as well, her eyes wide. Sarah tenses. "Don't freak out," she orders. "I will do the same to you."

Lyla shakes her head. "Don't worry, I won't."

"Why did Sirena?" Sarah inquires.

Lyla nods to the injured mermaid. "Because its Aquata, Sirena's blood sister."

I suck in sharply, looking down at the girl in my arms. "Poor girl I had forgotten she had a sister. This has to be a horrible way to be reunited."

Rita runs a hand through Sirena's hair. "How long will she sleep?"

"About an hour," Sarah replies.

"And what are the logical chances of Aquata surviving the night?"

"I don't know. I've never dealt with anything this bad before. Most things attacked be a crocodile, don't get away from it," Sarah admits. Rita sighs.

"I know."

"Could those rings of yours do anything?" I inquire. "The ones you used on Nixie? They made that blue glow?"

"Our moon rings? They might be able to help a little but," Rita sighs again. "They're all back home. I made Sirena take hers off just in case it might be recognized. They slipped my mind when you called."

"What about hers?" Sarah nods to the ring on Aquata's finger.

"Maybe, if it has enough power," Rita murmurs. "But-" Sarah reaches out to take the ring. Her fingers brush against it and there's a blue spark. Sarah curses and yanks her hand back.

"What the heck?"

"Defense mechanism. Human hands can't touch a moon ring that has an owner, it would be different if she was already dead, but that's counterproductive. Most moon rings also have a failsafe. No mermaid can remove it either. It can be used if she was to give it to us, or if it wasn't on her finger, but its useless to us the way it is."

"What about Sirena?" Lyla suggests. "Could it be different for blood relatives?"

Nixie nods. "And Aquata gave Sirena her other moon ring, that could count for something."

"I don't know. It's possible, but we won't know until Sirena wakes up."

"All these defenses. How powerful are those rings?" I ask.

"Very," Rita replies. "They strengthen our magic, and can be deadly if used incorrectly. That's why their designed to attempt to reject humans."

"We could use them?" Sarah inquires.

"No. But your touch would make the magic inside unstable. It would likely backfire and cause a massive explosion."

"Stay away from blue mermaid rings, got it," I confirm. "I don't know much about them, but it sounds like we should leave it alone. We'll have to give her the blood and leave the rest up to her. I'm going to take Sirena to one of the other rooms. My arms are getting a tad sore and she shouldn't be in here when she wakes up." I don't wait for an objection as I turn and ferry Sirena to the second floor.

I gently ease the door open and peer inside. Sirena is sitting on the roll-out bed, her eyes glazed over and far away. Her hands are folded in her lap and her hair is frizzing out. I walk over and sit beside her. She pulls out of her daze slightly, her eyes flicking to me before returning to stare at the wall.

"Sirena-"

"Is she going to be okay," Sirena murmurs, cutting me off. I smile softly, unsure of what to say.

"Sarah is going to do everything she can. I'm glad you're awake, how are you feeling."

"I'm fine," she mutters.

"Are you sure? I know this has to be hard on you, but it will be alri-"

"Diana?" Sirena interrupts, her voice cracking. "Can you please stop talking about it?"

I nod. "Yeah, come here." I wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer. She tenses, but doesn't fight and seconds later a scalding sob escapes her.

"I can't lose her," she sniffles. "Not again." I rub her back and don't say anything, knowing she just needs to vent. "She's always looked out for me, and I was s-so worried when she had to leave. She was so far away and I didn't know if she was okay. Now she isn't and I can't help her. I'm scared. Please, she's got to be okay." Sirena's tears begin to soak through the sleeve of my shirt.

"Honey, I know it's hard," I begin, choosing my words carefully. "But Sarah is really good at her job, she won't quit on Aquata. Your sister has the blood she needs and the best care we can offer her."

"It won't be enough will it?"

"I-" I break off. "I honestly don't know. But you know your sister, and if she's strong, she can get through this. And we're all here for you." I feel her swallow.

"Thanks. And I'm sorry for freaking out earlier. I didn't hurt you did I?"

I shake my head. "No. You worried me, that's all. You didn't hurt yourself either right?" she shakes her head but doesn't respond. "Are you hungry at all?"

"No."

"Is there anything I can get you?" she doesn't reply. "Come on Sirena, there's got to be something that can make you feel a little better."

She pulls away from me, lying back and curling her legs up. "My sister," she whispers, closing her eyes. I feel my heart crack. I rise and silently leave the room, sensing her need to sort out her emotions. I walk down the hall and run into Nixie.

"How is she?" Nixie asks. I shake my head helplessly.

"Distraught, in pain, scared. She hurting and I think she knows that Aquata is going to have to struggle to survive."

"Does she really have any chance?"

"Yes," I assure her. "Every minute she continues to breath is a sign she's trying to stick around. Tonight will be the worst. If she makes it through the night, then her chances will increase quite a bit. I'm worried about her tail though," I admit.

Nixie frowns. "Why?"

"Because it's quite damaged. Even if she heals, I doubt it will ever be perfect again. And if it heals wrong, then she might never swim properly again. Tell me, is Aquata able to dry out like you girls? We've been keeping her wet just in case but…"

Nixie shakes her head. "No. All of us are capable of it, but we need to use the moon rings. Aquata would never do that. She's probably the most honor bound and cautious mermaid I know. She would never willingly come on land or get legs. Why?"

I sigh. "Because there's good chance she'll retain extensive damage, to the point where it may cripple her. If she was to agree to gaining legs and using a cane or crutches, she could potentially stay with Rita and forge a life for herself here, it would be easier on her," I explain.

"She won't ever agree to it," Nixie objects. "The three of us willingly used the ring and even I can't stand to be away from the ocean for more than a day or so. Rita left entirely and she can manage a week before she needs to swim it off for several hours. Aquata wouldn't last long that way. Besides, her place is with the pod. Gaining legs is breaking a big rule, and Aquata would likely choose to die first."

"Then I suppose I'm not left with many options. We'd better hope for a couple miracles, because otherwise," I take a deep shaky breath. "Otherwise I may be forced to make Aquata's home here… permanently."

**Dreary chapter… sorry if not much happened in it, I wanted to focus more on Sirena's reaction than anything in this chapter. I got such inspiring reviews on the last chapter that I had to write this ASAP. I really appreciate all the support all of you are giving me. so what do you think? I'm not sure how I want it to play out. Should I make it tough on Diana, forcing her to make such an undesirable decision, or should those couple of miracles happen. I don't think any of us want Aquata to die, so we're at a fork in the road, full recovery, or permeant addition… I'll let you all mull it over, what would make the story most interesting? Let me know, as always, I love to hear from you all. :) **

**-Mermaid**


	6. Chapter 6

Diana's POV

"What?" Nixie cries, outraged, taking a step back.

"Nixie please, just listen, I don't want to and I certainly won't unless I absolutely have to. It wouldn't be like what Janice tried to do with you," I explain.

"Sure sounds like it," she snaps and I flinch. "She won't want to stay here, why condemn her to that?"

"Nixie, I'm not saying it's going to happen. We will have to wait and see what happens. I am not going to keep her here for no reason, especially if she heals well, but Nixie, if she refuses to attempt a transition to human life and will not be able to make it out in the ocean because she would be in constant pain, I don't know what you want from me. It is certainly not a decision I want to make." I step forward and hug her. "Please understand."

The tension leaves her and she slumps into my embrace. "I know you wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose… but Sirena won't like it, and I can assure you that Aquata will fight you with everything she's got. You might want to have one of us present when she wakes up, because like Rita, Aquata is a fully grown and trained mermaid. She's a force to be reckoned with."

"I'll keep that in mind," I agree, walking further down the hall and into the stairwell, Nixie following me. "I wish a get together could have been under better circumstances, I've missed you a lot."

"I've actually missed you too," she admits. "Is that strange? I mean since being here wasn't exactly a great experience." I shake my head in amusement, but don't offer a response. "Hey Diana?" Nixie's voice turns serious. "How many people know that Aquata is here?"

I pause. "Umm, well the staff here obviously, but outside that, I don't know, but there were a lot of people down at the beach she washed up on," I say. "We're one of the only functioning facilities in the area so many of them probably made the connection. We can keep them at bay though, you don't have to worry."

"But couldn't that mean Janice might have found out? What if she comes around?"

I stiffen. In all the chaos, I'd forgotten what a perfect opportunity this could be for Janice to gain some credibility. "Janice could pose a problem," I begin, choosing my words carefully. "But you don't need to worry about it. Leave Janice to me, _if _she shows up okay?" I squeeze her shoulder gently. "You're safe here," I promise her. Nixie bites her lip and doesn't reply. "So, what have the four of you been up to lately?" I inquire, changing the subject.

"Umm, not a lot to be honest. Just laying low. There's barely anywhere to hang out in the water either. I wish we weren't so far from mako."

"Mako? That island off shore? What's the significance of that place?" I ask.

Nixie sucks in sharply and blushes. "Umm, nothing." I raise an eyebrow and smirk at her. "It's a place we hung out a lot, even while in the pod," Nixie admits. "Plenty of places to relax, to hunt, and not a lot of land people." She shrugs. "The pod spent a lot of time there and it's where Lyla, Sirena, and I stayed after the pod left. But don't let the others know I told you, it's kind of a personal place."

"I won't say anything," I agree. "Though you must be quite a ways away if it's too far for you to swim. I won't ask where though. I think if Miss Santos wanted me to know she'd have told me."

"Good, because I have absolutely no idea where we are. The only thing I know is that land school sucks," she exclaims.

"You three are in school?" I ask. She nods.

"Rita wanted us to be close, just in case. She's been really paranoid lately."

I nod. "Understandable. So what's wrong with school?"

"Everything. I hated mermaid school; it was awful, this is even worse. English is boring, art is pointless, and biology is disgusting," Nixie shudders.

"Disgusting? How?"

"I don't want to know what's inside me," she shudders again. "I mean, all those gross blob things? The organs? Do they really look like that?"

I laugh, covering my mouth and shaking my head in amusement. I drape an arm over Nixie's shoulders. "Yes."

Rita's POV

I watch Sarah bustle about, checking Aquata's temperature and blood pressure. Despite the blood bag hanging above her head, constantly feeding the life liquid to her through the tube in her arm, Aquata is as pale as bleached coral, her face twisted into a grimace. I chew at the inside of my cheek as a watch. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask, unable to stay silent any longer.

"Not at the moment, no," Sarah responds with a sigh. "There's not much else we can do. In a few hours I might check and redress her bandages, but I have to give the wounds time to set and clot first. Though you may be able to help me with something. Have you ever had to take painkillers?"

I frown. "Umm, yeah, once. They were just mild over the counter ones though, why?"

"Did you encounter any unexpected side effects?"

"Not that I recall, what's it matter?"

Sarah nods towards Aquata. "I can't sedate her without risk of losing her, but when she wakes up fully, shock and pain are enough to deter her recovery. I'd like to be able to give her some heavy medication, but I don't know how her body will react to it and I don't want to take any unnecessary risks."

I nod. "I don't think you should have too much of a problem. They may not have been painkillers, but I have had other medications before without a problem. I suppose you could give her a small does when she wakes up, to allow her to adjust. But if the pain is going to be detrimental to her anyways, it's probably better to give her the medicine. There's a fifty percent chance it will work. Probably higher."

"We'll see what happens when she wakes."

"Do you think that will happen any time soon?"

Sarah places a hand on Aquata's forehead, murmuring to herself, and brushes some of Aquata's stray hair from her face. "It's hard to tell. She did come to briefly earlier, but it didn't last long. She could regain consciousness at any time, though likely it won't be for a while. Her body needs to regenerate," the doctor decides. She glances at me. "You don't have to remain here you know. Its getting really late and you had a long trip over here I'm assuming. Get some rest."

I cross my arms across my chest, my hands hugging my elbows, and step forward, shaking my head. "After today's excitement, I'm not sure I could sleep if I tried. Besides injured or not, she can pose a threat to you. When she wakes up, she's going to be confused and distrustful. It won't be like with Nixie. Aquata has finished her training and is in full control of her powers. It's best another mermaid hangs around in case she lashes out. The girls need to get some rest, and they would be no match against Aquata anyways. You're stuck with me for a while."

Sarah frowns. "I didn't even consider the possibility of her lashing out. In all honesty, your powers slipped my mind in the chaos. Now that you bring it up, I suppose it is a good idea to have one of you around. just don't exhaust yourself. You did have a long journey and the last thing I need is another patient."

"I'll stay out of your hair," I agree, sitting on a bench. A muffled groan fills the silence. Aquata's fin twitches and she moans again, shifting around. Sarah sighs.

"That girl is going to kill herself. I'm glad she's fighting but this is ridiculous," Sarah complains. She pushes down on Aquata's shoulders, trying to settle the girl. I move closer, in case she needs help. Aquata falls still for a few moments. Sarah removes her hands only to have her patient's eyes snap open and for her to sit up abruptly, a pained squeak escaping her. Aquata clutches her middle and whimpers, squeezing her eyes shut. Her skin loses even more color and she shudders. After a moment, she opens her eyes again, her gaze full of confusion as she scans the room. Her focus settles on Sarah and I, her eyes narrowing with malice and distrust. She raises one hand in warning, even as she trembles and sways a bit, blinking rapidly to remain conscious.

"Whe-where am I?" she demands, her voice full of pain.

"Among friends, I promise," I reply. Aquata growls in response.

"The people of the land are _not _my friends," she spits, anger pushing back her pain. Her fingers twitch. "Why am I here, what have you done to me?" her other hand leaves her side and presses against the table in an attempt to steady herself.

"You were attacked by a crocodile," Sarah begins. "When you washed ashore we brought you here for treatment."

"Where is here?" she pants, clearly struggling to stay focused.

"We're right by the ocean. This is a marine research and recue facility." Sarah turn to the cupboards and rummages around inside, pulling out a needle and a bottle of clear liquid. She fills the syringe with the liquid and walks back over, setting the needle on a tray. Aquata stares at it distrustfully. Sarah taps a finger on the surface of the syringe. "I want to give you this," she says. "It would go into your arm. You don't have to have it, but it can take your pain away for a while," Sarah explains.

Aquata bites her lip and a flash of longing spins through her eyes before she shakes her head. "Stay away from me." Her eyes fall on the needle in her wrist. The one hooked to the blood drip. Fear crosses her expression as she tears it out.

"No," Sarah protests, lunging for the needle. She grabs Aquata's arm and attempts to reinsert it. "You need this."

Aquata yanks her arm away, thrusting her hand out at Sarah. I step between the two and catch Aquata's wrist.

"Relax. Sarah means you no harm. She has spent the last several hours fighting to save your life. I swear to you on the moon pool that no one here wants to hurt you Aquata." The girl's eyes narrow.

"You have no right to be making vows on such a sacred place. How do you know of it? How do you know my name?" She doesn't wait for an answer as she clenches her fist, power building in the air. I flick my wrist and her arm jerks to the side, stopping her attack. Surprise flickers in her gaze but she tries again. I curl my hand into a fist and press back against her magic, which is currently trying to throw me backwards. Aquata's eyes widen. "You're a mermaid," she realizes.

I nod. "Yes. Now put that IV back in your wrist and allow Sarah to give you that needle. You need to rest, not jerk around like this," I scold. Sarah steps up and pushes the IV needle back into Aquata's vein, taping it down. With practiced hands, she inserts the needle into Aquata's hip, releasing the contents.

"Better?" Sarah asks a few moments later. Aquata frowns and nods. "Good, now please lie back and try to sleep. You need to relax and feel better. There are a lot of people here who are very worried about you."

"Like your sister, Sirena," I include. Aquata's eyes widen.

"Sirena is here? Why? If you've harmed her I will-"

"Relax," I interrupt. "Sirena is fine. So are Nixie and Lyla. You can see them tomorrow, after you've rested," I promise. Aquata sighs and slumps down, exhaustion clearly catching up with her. A shudder passes through her and her eyes slip closed.

**Sorry for the long wait guys, I hope you aren't too upset. Happy New Year to you all and I hope you've all enjoyed your holidays. As always, I value your input and feedback, it puts joy in my heart and inspiration in my writing. **

**Also, I noticed how a fish out of water has close to one hundred reviews, to all of you who helped with that, a big warm thank you, let's see if we can pass one hundred with this story. **

**Finally, I'm thinking of doing a prequel like story once this one is finished. It would focus mainly on Diana and her life before she met Nixie and the others, before jumping to present time of wherever this story ends. I'd like your opinion, is it something you would consider reading? Please share your thoughts. **

**-Mermaid**


	7. Chapter 7

Sarah's POV

I relax as I watch Aquata fall still again, a sigh escaping my lips as I lean back against the countertop. "That was intense," I mutter. "What exactly was she trying to do with her hand?"

"Just throw us backwards," Miss Santos replies. "That's about all she had the strength to do at the moment. I think she was hoping to knock us out."

"Well it's a good thing you're here or I just might have been."

The older mermaid frowns. "She shouldn't have tried to use her powers. They come naturally but the do consume a lot of energy," She explains with a sigh, shaking her head. "Mermaids have always been incredibly stubborn."

I grin, "are you lumping yourself in with them too?"

"Unfortunately yes, I have it too. Though I suppose you've witnessed our stubbornness first hand with the girls. She doesn't show it as often, but even Sirena has it."

I nod and run a finger along my left wrist. "I'm well aware. I still have a bit of a scar from Lyla's first escape attempt."

"First?"

"Yes. Including the one that actually succeeded, there were three," I reply. Miss Santos laughs.

"See what I mean?" I nod and join her, sinking down onto the wooden bench and rubbing at my temples. "Long night?" Rita guesses.

"You have no idea," I complain. "I love it, but this job can really suck sometimes."

"I bet. I couldn't pull the long hours, I'm amazed you can. How do you manage it?"

"Humans have discovered and harnessed a bit of magic too."

The mermaid raises an eyebrow. "Oh really, like what?"

"A wonderful creation called coffee," I reply. Rita's laughter echoes in the small room.

"Yes, I suppose its effects are miraculous," she responds, fingering the small seahorse pendant.

"Symbolic of an ocean friend?" I inquire.

"Hmm?" she looks up, then glances at the necklace. "Oh, no, just a gift," she replies letting in fall back against her collar bone. She groans and rubs at her forehead, glancing at the clock on the wall above my desk. "I hate to leave you here when you've clearly got to stay up with her, but I think I'm going to pass out either way. Hopefully she'll stay asleep this time and you shouldn't have any problems with her if she does wake up," she explains. I nod.

"Its fine, I've done this before, besides, I haven't swum for hours and given blood. Go rest. Ask anyone who's still here and they'll show you, Lyla, and Nixie to some of the spare upstairs apartments. Normally they're for staff, but you're welcome to them," I offer. "I'd show you myself but like you said; I really shouldn't leave a patient unattended."

"Thank you," she murmurs, rising from the bench. "I'd best go track down Nixie and Lyla and haul them off to bed, Sirena too if she's still awake. They should get some rest."

Sirena's POV

I yawn and stretch my legs, opening my eyes. Confusion fills me as my gaze falls on white concrete walls, rather than the seashell spread of our room at the cottage. After a moment I remember where I am. Stretching my arms above my head I sit up groggily.

"Finally awake huh?" I gasp, startled, and fall forward. Diana grabs ahold of my arm to keep me from pitching forward off of the cot. "Sorry."

I rub the sleep residue from my eyes and yawn again. "How long have you been sitting here?" I ask, turning to see Diana. Her brown wavy hair is loose for a change, tumbling freely down her back like chestnut waterfalls. She's sitting on the edge of the cot.

"A few minutes. I just came up to check on you. Are you hungry?"

I'm about to decline when my stomach answers for me, grumbling loudly. Diana laughs and passes me a plate with a tuna and cheese sandwich on it.

"Thanks," I murmur, taking a bite. "How long was I asleep?" I inquire.

"All night," Diana replies. "I'm not surprised, you all looked exhausted yesterday."

"All night?" I panic. "But I- how's my sister?"

"Relax, she's fine. I haven't been down there yet, but I've been told she was awake for a couple minutes last night," Diana replies.

"What?" I exclaim, scrambling off the bed. "Is she awake now? Does she know I'm here? Can I go see her?"

Diana catches my arm. "Calm down. As far as I know, Aquata is still asleep. Sarah doesn't want anyone down there at the moment. If she does wake up though, you will be the first to know," she promises.

I sigh and sit back down, drawing my knees up to my chest. "I just miss her a lot," I admit. Diana places a hand on my shoulder.

"I know this has got to be hard on you and it's a horrible way to be reunited with someone you love, but you've got to hang in there okay? She'll pull through; you just have to give her time."

I hang my head. "I know," I breathe, "but I feel so useless just sitting here waiting. I want to do something to help."

She stands, pulling me to my feet along with her and gestures for me to follow her. I do, trailing behind her as we head down the hall. She pulls open a door that leads to a small kitchen. Set out on the counter are two steel buckets with wire handles. Diana scoops one up and nods towards the other one. I wrap my hand around the handle and lift the heavy object off the countertop. Its half filled with dead fish submerged in water.

As we leave the kitchen I ask, "what are we doing?"

"You said you wanted to help," Diana explains, smiling. "Well, the dolphins need to be fed."

"Are you sure no one will see me?" I inquire nervously. Diana nods.

"The top of the tank isn't visible form the observation decks, but if it makes you feel better, you can tuck your tail underneath you," she replies. I nod.

"Okay then." I glance into the water at the two dolphins swimming in the tank. Diana puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles shrilly. A moment later both dolphins surface. Diana reaches into one of the buckets and holds up a fish by the tail. She tosses it into the gaping beak of one of the sleek grey mammals. A second fish follows, snapped up by the second dolphin. I curl my legs to the side; toes parallel to the side of the tank, and reach into the bucket. I ignore the savory look of the fish as I toss it to one of the dolphins. Both chatter at me excitedly when my fin forms.

_"__Mermaid!"_

_"__Come swim with us!"_

I laugh and shake my head. _"I cannot right now, people would see me. Perhaps later." _I reply. One of the dolphins snorts, the sound of the air passing sharply through his blow hole sounds like a fart and I giggle. Diana looks between me and the marine clowns.

"I'm feeling a little left out of the conversation over here Sirena," she comments.

"It nothing, they're just being silly," I reply.

_"__What is the strange land dweller saying?" _the one on the left inquires.

_"__That she feels left out of our conversation. May I know your name?"_

_"__Baharin," he replies. "And my brother is Staro. And you are?"_

_"__Sirena. If it is alright, I would like to be your friend." _Baharin bobs his head and I smile. _"Then dive." _I smack the bucket beside me with my fin, sending it into the water, spilling its contents through the tank. Both dolphins duck down, descending onto their meal. I laugh.

"I hope you intend to get that back," Diana states.

"Don't worry, Baharin will likely fetch it for us," I answer.

"Who?"

"Baharin is the dolphin who was on the left. His brother's name is Staro."

Diana shakes her head. "I hope you don't mind if I continue to address them by Jet and James. Those are a little more pronounceable.

"I doubt they'll mind. They don't really pay much attention to you anyways."

"Nice to know."

"I didn't mean it like that," I say. "Dolphins are easily distracted."

The door behind us open and a girl roughly my age hurries in. her dark brown hair is tied back in a tight bun on top of her head and her face is flushed.

"Dr. Evans," she gasps. "Dr. Williams sent me to find you."

"Sarah's looking for me? Why? I'm sorry what's your name again?"

"Chelsey," the girl replies. "And I was told if I found you I'd either find someone named Sirena or you would know where she is. Do you?"

"Hi," I call waving to the girl. "You need me for something?"

"Yeah," she replies distractedly, her eyes fixed on my tail. I sigh and steam it dry, standing.

"What for?" Chelsey's eyes have bulged out of her head.

"That was really cool," she shakes her head. "Right, sorry. Dr. Williams sent me to tell you that your sister is awake and asking for you."

**I was going to make this longer and include Aquata's POV, but I want to update this today and I really should be doing school work at the moment, considering exams are next week. So unfortunately this is all you get at the moment, but I'll try to update sometime soon after exams… so not next week but probably the one after… so two weeks from now. As always I love your comments and feedback and I'm sorry this chapter was all talk no action. I promise that things will pick up soon. **

**-Mermaid. **


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